[Results after two years of an alcoholic rehabilitation program].
BACKGROUND
Alcoholism is a serious public health problem in Chile and the best treatment strategy for this problem is far from being clear.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the long term results of an alcoholism rehabilitation program.


METHODS
One hundred eighty two alcoholics admitted for treatment of their alcoholism were followed during two years in a special clinic. The effects of length of alcoholism, withdrawal symptoms on admission and the presence of histological liver damage on long term outcome were assessed using life table analysis.


RESULTS
During the two years period, 75% of patients were lost from control and 63% relapsed in their alcoholic ingestion. None of the above mentioned parameters had an effect on relapse or loss from follow up.


CONCLUSIONS
There are high attrition and failure rates and the length of alcoholism, degree of initial withdrawal and liver damage do not influence the long term results of this program.
Bunout
D
D
Instituto de Nutrición y Tecnología de los Alimentosy, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
de la Maza
P
P
Hirsch
S
S
Petermann
M
M
Godoy
C
C
Pérez
C
C
D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015397:Program Evaluation; D016320:Substance Abuse Treatment Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
Resultados a dos años de un programa de rehabilitación de enfermos alcohólicos.